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5FEBRUARY2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSBelovedIwishaboveallthingsthatthoumayestprosperandbeinhealthevenasthysoulprospereth3John2Thepagesofpasthumanhistoryrevealovermanycenturiesdev-astatingoutbreaksofdiseasesthathavetakenalargeandpainfultollofhumanlife.Casualtiesnumberinthemillions.ThesediseasesincludeplagueinfluenzasmallpoxmeaslescholerapolioandHIV.Thethingthattheseailmentshaveincommonisthattheyarespreadfrompersontopersonbyclosecontact.Inrecentyearstherearediseasesthatmaynotbeinfectiousdiseasesspreadfrompersontopersonbuthavebecomesoprevalentthattheytoareconsideredepidemicinnature.OnesuchdiseaseisAlzheimersDiseasewhichisquicklybecomingamoderndayplagueandisalsoreferredtoasdementiaofwhichthereareseveraltypesalongwithAlzheimersDiseaseAlzheimersDiseaseisadegenera-tivebraindiseasethatrobssuffer-ersoftheirmemorycausesmarkedpersonalitychangesandeventuallymakesactivitiesofdailylivingsuchasdressingbathingeatingandwalkingimpossible.ItisthesixthleadingcauseofdeathinAmerica.Itisnowestimat-edthatthenumberofpeopleintheUSwithAlzheimersDiseasewillalmosttriplebytheyear2050.Itisthoughtthatthisdiseasehasnopreventiontreatmentorcure.Howevertherearesomeriskfactorsthatneedcarefulthoughtandinterventionaswillbenotedbelow.Thelargestriskfactorisjustgettingolder.Morethan10ofallpersonsoverage65andnearlyhalfofthoseover85haveAlzheimersDiseaseAfricanAmericansneedtobecon-cernedasithasbeenfoundthattheprevalenceofdementiaissignificantlyhigherinAfricanAmericanswithesti-matesrangingfrom14-100higher.AmajorconcernisapowerfulriskfactorforAfricanAmericanswhichisvasculardiseasesorconditionsthatmayaffectbloodcirculationtothebrain.Thesediseasesthatmayhaveanimpactonbraincirculationincludehighbloodpressureorhyperten-sionhighcholesterolanddiabetes.Vascularproblemsmaythemselvesbeacauseofdementia.AfricanAmericanshaveahigherincidenceofvasculardementiawhichcanbeatriggerorlinktoAlzheimersdisease.Ithasbeenfoundthatper-sonswithahistoryofhypertensionorhighcholesterolaretwiceaslikelytogetAlzheimersDisease.AfricanAmericanshavea60higherriskoftype2diabeteswhichisaconditionthatcontributesdirectlytoAlzheimersDisease.Inviewofthisitwouldappearthatthebestcourseofactionistocontrolanythingthatinterfereswithbloodcirculationtothebrainandmaycausediseaseofbloodvessels.Ithasbeensaidthatwhatisgoodfortheheartisgoodforthebrain.Inotherwordswhateverweadviseforprevent-ingheartattackorstrokeweshouldadviseforstemmingthetideofvascu-larorbloodcirculationissues.WhatthismeansisthefollowingnGetscreenedforandcontrolhighbloodpressurenGetscreenedforandgettreatmentofhighcholesterolnControldiabetesandgetscreenedforthisnStopsmokingifneedednGetabout30minutesofexercisedailynControlyourbodyweightandtrytoatleastkeepyourwaistcircu-ferencelessthat40menandlessthann35forwomennSeeyourprimarycareproviderasadvisedAnotherthingweshoulddointheAfricanAmericancommunityittopar-ticipatemoreintheclinicaltrialsandresearcheffortstofindacureforAlzheimersDiseasesastoofewofusdothis.Doingthethingsnotedabovewillhelpyoutolivelongerandbetterandhavehealthagingevenifyounevergetanytypeofdementia.MayGodguideyouinyourpersonalchoicesanddeci-sions.AlzheimersEpidemicinOurCommunityDr.ConnerByByronE.ConnerM.D.IthasbeenfoundthatpersonswithahistoryofhypertensionorhighcholesterolaretwiceaslikelytogetAlzheimersDisease.AfricanAmericanshavea60higherriskoftype2diabeteswhichcontributesdirectlytoAlzheimersDisease.HEALTH